Embodiments of the invention generally relate to passively activated safety needle assemblies. More specifically, embodiments of the invention are directed to passively activated safety needle assemblies comprising a locking ring and outer shield with cooperative structures to disable the needle assemblies in a user safe manner.
Needle devices are used throughout the medical industry for the injection and withdrawal of a wide variety of fluids and solutions into and from the human body. Because of the numerous potential hazards associated with the handling and manipulation of bodily fluids, and particularly blood, there are a number of known safety features that are frequently incorporated into various types of needle devices to protect the practitioner from accidental exposure to the needle.
Prior safety needle devices having a retractable sheath require multi-component retraction and locking elements and often do not incorporate reuse prevention features. Therefore, the retraction mechanism may be reset so the syringe barrel may be reused. The reuse of syringe assemblies without sterilization or sufficient sterilization is believed to facilitate the transfer of contagious diseases. Further, the retraction features of conventional syringes also often require the user to actively activate the retraction mechanism. Accordingly, the chance of human error in failure to activate or properly activate the retraction mechanism can lead to continued exposure of needles
Prior retracting sheath safety needle devices have been developed to include a single-use cover assembly that obscures a substantial majority or an entirety of an injection needle from view before, during, and after an injection procedure. However, many injection procedures require that the practitioner see the needle and injection site or know precisely the depth to which the needle is inserted in the patient's tissue to be sure that medication is delivered to an appropriate location.
There is an ongoing need in the art for needles which passively activate a safety mechanism to prevent injury to the healthcare worker, or others, and provide improved visibility of the needle.